Limits of Destiny (Volume 2)

by Sharlyn G. Branson

  The sight of him now after so many years awakened pleasant memories. But I couldn’t let myself go to lunch or dinner with him because it wouldn’t lead to anything. And Alexander wouldn’t allow it under any circumstances anyway.

  * * *

  There was a great view of the expanse of the Persian Gulf from the Al Muntaha Restaurant. The fine grains of sand floating through the air made it impossible to see the edge between the sea and the sky. They seemed as one whole. The huge floor-to-ceiling windows gave the false impression that I was in some glass palace. It was as if I were an ancient queen in some unassailable fortress, with the Palm Islands and the sea at my feet.

  The restaurant’s interior design was minimal and very pleasant. The ceiling and the shapes on the carpet represented sea waves, and the chairs were made with soft upholstery, cleverly combined with dark-blue leather.

  The table Alexander had booked for us was right by the panoramic windows, allowing us to enjoy the gorgeous view of the sea while dining.

  While we were browsing the huge menu the waiter had given us, Alexander ordered a bottle of Château d’Yquem white wine. Since we’d arrived in Dubai, I’d learned to enjoy the plentiful fresh seafood, which was why I chose a tuna risotto and boiled vegetables.

  “Alexia, your first boyfriend was so enthralled by the sight of you that he didn’t even notice we were together,” Lily slipped in, supposedly casually, but I knew what the aim of her words was.

  She glanced to the left and continued, “Oh, and here he is with some friends.”

  I turned around, and Christoph waved at us, giving me his charming smile.

  “Now that he’s noticed you, maybe you can pipe down,” I said sullenly, my eyes narrowed.

  I looked at Alexander, who was keeping his feelings to himself, but deep inside, he’d reached boiling point.

  “Lily, I think we should go freshen up our makeup.” And wearing a false smile, I prompted her to stand. She understood and followed me.

  God, what an unpleasant situation. I didn’t want to ruin my relationship with Alexander, but it was as if our past were following us wherever we went. It was like a shadow that constantly trailed us. My or his exes always appeared from somewhere, making our lives more difficult. I was now completely convinced the world was too small. To top it all off, my girlfriend was trying to make my boyfriend even more jealous, which drove me completely up the wall.

  When we went into the toilet, I told her in no uncertain terms, “Don’t try to annoy Alexander and make him even more jealous. Please.”

  “Why are you becoming incensed? Let him see he’s not the only one,” she snapped.

  “Please don’t meddle. You don’t know what you’re doing. I don’t want to argue and fight with him. I don’t want to complicate my life. He needs to feel secure in our relationship, and so do I. We don’t need more reasons for jealousy, especially him. What’s good about him pouting?” I started to wave my arms in annoyance.

  “I get it. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make you mad.” Her face showed she was genuinely sorry.

  “Fine. I forgive you because I love you.” I pursed my lips.

  “Me too. A little jealousy helps with most men, but your case is clearly quite extreme already, without adding more fuel to the fire.” She gave me a wide and genuine smile, which made me smile back at her.

  “More fuel to the fire, huh?” I echoed. “Tsk, what shall I do with you? Let’s get back to them.”

  We returned to the table, and the waiter came to take our order, also bringing the bottle of wine Alexander had ordered.

  I wondered whether I should kiss him. I wanted to show him how much he meant to me. Leaning toward him, I did so. Then I looked into his eyes and realized he was still struggling to overcome his jealousy.

  We clinked our glasses, which emitted a pleasant ring.

  “Alexander proposed we go on a yacht ride after lunch,” I mentioned.

  Lily’s face brightened and she blurted out, “Mr. Kraftberg, you sure know how to make us have a good time.” Like most millionaires, her uncle, Frank Romer, had his own yacht, and she often spent her holidays sailing along the French Riviera.

  “I do my best, Miss Ferrai,” replied Alexander, sounding mildly annoyed, and took a sip of his wine.

  It was obvious he was mad at her for taking the liberty of making unnecessary comments about my first boyfriend. And he was fully within his rights. I really hated it when someone meddled in other peoples’ affairs, and Lily really loved poking her nose where she had no business. She’d always been like this, and so far, this hadn’t bothered me, but now… I couldn’t let her interfere in my relationship so directly.

  The waiters served us our food and we all started to eat in silence. The atmosphere was definitely quite chilly. Francesco had also become annoyed with my friend, so I decided to distract everyone by asking about his sister.

  “Francesco, how’s Mariella?”

  “Fine. She left for Lake Como to help our parents with the restaurant for a while. They have many customers at the moment and are finding it a little hard to cope.”

  “I see. When she gets back, we should all get organized and go out to some bar or club.”

  “Do you feel like dancing?” asked Alexander, interested. He took my hand and gently caressed it with his thumb.

  I nodded and smiled in response.

  “I’ll try to arrange something.”

  “Let’s go to your bar at the Kraftberg Hotel. Alexia hasn’t seen it,” interjected Lily and then turned to me. “You’ll really like it. The interior design is great. They play the latest hits and the service is top-notch.”

  “You sound like an advertisement for the bar. Hmm… And where was I when you were having fun there?” I looked at her in pretend anger.

  “Where do you think? In Boston or on holiday with your family.”

  “Calm down. We’ll go anywhere you like. We have all the time in the world ahead of us.” Alexander rushed to soothe me and put his palm on my knee. His touch made me feel nice.

  In her typical style, Lily kicked me under the table. Sometimes she behaved like a child. I pretended nothing had happened. I didn’t want the others to find out. I knew perfectly well she had done it to tell me, See? I was right. Alexander does think about serious things. So I concentrated on my food, paying her no mind.

  “Miss Ferrai, may I know why you kicked me under the table?” Alexander asked, dead serious.

  Dear God…

  I looked at Lily. She was blushing as red as a tomato. I’d never seen her completely at a loss for words before. It was difficult to suppress the giggle rising inside me. In the end, I couldn’t take it and burst out laughing.

  Lily apologized to Alexander but then started to laugh as hard as me.

  “May I ask what’s so funny?” Alexander looked at me in puzzlement.

  “Sorry, it was simply… a mistake.” I barely managed to get the words out.

  “What was a mistake?” He wouldn’t let it go.

  “She meant to kick me.” I stroked his shoulder. “Female nonsense.”

  “I’m sorry, Alexander,” added Lily.

  Confused, Francesco first looked at her, then at me and stated, “Ladies, perhaps you overdid it with the wine today?”

  I looked at Lily and tried to assume a severe expression. “Don’t do it again.”

  “I won’t. I promise,” she replied meekly. “Please accept my apologies, Alexander. I really didn’t mean it.”

  He nodded.

  “Speaking of interior designs. I’m thinking of taking on the yacht the samples I brought for you to have a look at,” Francesco informed Alexander.

  “Okay. You and I will continue our work while the two ladies are sunning,” replied Alexander.

  I wiped my lips with a napkin. “May I also have a look at them?”

  Alexander stared at me thoughtfully and then replied, “Of course, if you wish. I didn’t suggest it because I didn’t want to bore you.�
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  “Not at all. In fact, it would be my pleasure.”

  “Alexia, I forgot to tell you,” Lily said to me. “My cousin, Laura, is coming to visit me. We should go on a girls’ night while she’s there. We can also invite Mariella. I’m sure she’d be glad to come.”

  I swallowed the food in my mouth and asked her, “When exactly are we talking about?”

  Alexander put his hand on my thigh, making me look at him. He stared at me with his serious blue eyes. “Let’s not discuss this right now.”

  Is he not going to let me go on a girls’ night? No, he cannot treat me like this.

  “Alexander.” I stared at him.

  “Not now, baby,” he replied in that serious voice, which stopped me in my tracks.

  I don’t know why, but his reaction didn’t annoy me this time. Was I getting used to it? I even felt warmth toward him. Anyway, I wasn’t sure whether I wanted to go on a club crawl and wonder how to get rid of some creep or another.

  And then an idea popped into my head. “I propose we take our other halves with us so they can protect us from any annoying creeps,” I said and noticed how in just those few seconds, Alexander’s eyes turned from ice-cold to azure. They softened and started to gleam like sapphires.

  Had he felt I was starting to accept him for who he was?

  I adored him, loved him, idolized him for the great concern he always showed for me. Knowing on the inside he was the man of my life, I wanted to grow old with him. I was certain he loved me too—in his own way—and I appreciated everything he did for me to make me happy. In fact, I couldn’t be cross with him for wanting to protect me from the drunken Russians at the pool. And in order to please me, he’d arranged a yacht trip—something that would make any woman swoon. He always thought of me, which was proof that a huge, sensitive heart was hiding behind the hard shell of the notorious womanizer Alexander Kraftberg. A heart that belonged to me and filled me with joy, even though a small part at the back of my mind constantly repeated, Until when?

  I shook my head to stop the negative thoughts from engulfing me and quickly put my hand on his knee. I wanted to show him I was his, that I wasn’t interested in anyone else.

  God Almighty, how deep in love I was, and whenever his sapphire eyes fell on me, I would lose myself even deeper in him. I was enchanted by this gorgeous man who wanted me. And pondering all of this, I made a definitive decision that I simply wanted us to always be together. To fall asleep and wake up next to him. To have breakfast and supper together, and to spend every free minute we had in enjoyment of the powerful, magnetic connection between us. Firmly, I decided, when we got some time alone, I wouldn’t make him wait any longer in mental anguish, and I would tell him I agreed to move in with him.

  16

  We spent the afternoon on the luxury yacht Alexander hired for us. It was quite large and had two bedrooms, an open-plan kitchen and lounge, and two bathrooms.

  I immersed myself in the pool while Lily topped up her vitamin D levels nearby, lying on a beach towel on the deck.

  The smell of the sea, the wind tenderly stroking my body, hair, and face as if with feathers, and the light rocking of the yacht made me relax and forget my problems.

  I propped myself up and my eyes scanned the endless expanse of the sea around us. Far behind us, I could see the skyscrapers and beautiful hotels of Dubai. I felt peaceful and very happy at the same time. I had an inexplicable need to be near water. Perhaps it was because I had grown up on the coast? This proximity had a somewhat… calming effect on me. I glanced at Lily and realized she’d fallen asleep. My dear friend was clearly exhausted by the long plane journey.

  I stood up, put on my white bathrobe, and went over to the men who were sitting on lovely white leather couches at the back of the yacht. They were discussing the repairs of the hotel in Dubai, which had to be carried out urgently due to the great extent of the destruction caused by the bomb.

  “Francesco, Lily fell asleep. Will you please carry her to your bedroom? I’m worried she’ll burn,” I said.

  “Of course. I’ll go to take care of it,” he replied politely and stood up.

  I sat next to Alexander. “Thank you for the wonderful afternoon. It’s so nice here.” I wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed him on the cheek.

  “When we get back to Switzerland, I promise you I’ll find time for us to go on a ride on Lake Zurich in my sailboat. I’m also thinking we should go to Saint-Tropez on one of the next few weekends. I have a house there.” He said it as if it were normal for anyone to own a house there.

  “And I’m sure you’ll like my yacht more than this one,” he added proudly.

  “Can you sail it by yourself?” I excitedly asked him and imagined just the two of us on a yacht on the French Riviera. Drinking champagne, eating strawberries with cream, and… My thoughts started to drift toward sex again. This was starting to scare me. I was becoming increasingly insatiable when it came to sex.

  “I can, but I have people I pay to sail and maintain them.” He untied the belt of my robe, put his palm on one of my breasts, inserted his fingers under the cup of my bikini top, and gently pulled my nipple, which instantly responded to his touch. He pressed his soft lips against mine, and our tongues started to dance to the rhythm of the sweet arousal growing inside us.

  “Mmm…” I groaned quietly.

  “I can’t wait to be inside you again, baby,” he whispered between our kisses.

  “Me too,” I admitted and gently caressed his face.

  I had to stand up because, otherwise, I would have straddled him and given myself to him without caring whether someone was watching us or not.

  “I’m going to get changed and I’ll come back to you… If I’m not going to get in your way, of course.”

  “You’re never in the way, honey,” he said and managed to close my robe just before Francesco came back.

  “Is she still asleep?” I rushed out.

  “Yes. I’m not surprised she’s so tired. They played many new films on the airplane, and she insisted on watching them all,” he replied, sounding amused.

  “That’s just like her.” I smiled. “Do you want me to bring you coffee or something else to drink?”

  “Thanks for the offer, Alexia. I wouldn’t say no to a coffee. I also don’t feel in top form after the long flight,” replied Francesco.

  “And for you, baby? What do you want to drink?” I asked Alexander, and he gave me an I want you look, but of course, he refrained from saying it aloud. Instead, he replied, “I’ll have an alcohol-free beer. Thank you, sweetie.”

  “I’ll be back soon.”

  I went to our cabin. I changed out of my swimsuit into white lace panties and a bra. The bra was extremely important because I was well aware that my boyfriend would not approve if I walked around wearing only a dress through which my nipples might possibly be seen. I didn’t want to argue with Alexander again over this great problem for him.

  In the kitchen, I found a beautiful silver tray, which managed to fit all our drinks. Giving them the coffee and beer, I sat next to them, eager to join the work. I wanted to peek into his world—the world of the great Kraftberg who’d managed to build a true empire at such a young age. I admired him and wanted to be as strong as he was, but I did know myself well enough to judge whether this was possible.

  I didn’t understand what had annoyed him, but when I glanced at Alexander, he gave me such an icy stare that I completely froze.

  He sucked in a sharp breath and asked me in a severe tone, “Are you drinking alcohol again?”

  This made all my enthusiasm evaporate. I balled my hands into fists under the table so they wouldn’t see them. I didn’t want to make a scene in front of Francesco, so I tried to stop myself from sounding too annoyed when I replied.

  “This is alcohol-free champagne. I’m leaving you to your work,” I said and stood. I felt the blood boiling in my veins, flowing like unstoppable lava that left only destruction in its wake. Barely
, I managed to stop myself from bursting into tears in front of them. His words hurt me very deeply. Alexander had no right whatsoever to speak to me like that, especially in front of other people.

  Is this how things will be when I start working in his company? Oh no… I didn’t like the thought of this one bit. If it turns out like that, I will immediately quit. I will not let him treat me like a stupid cow. No, Kraftberg—God as my witness—I will not allow it.

  I hated it more than anything when someone told me how much I should drink. Even my father didn’t dare chide me because he knew I never went over my limit.

  “Alexia… Wait,” I heard Alexander calling behind me, but I didn’t bother turning around. Entering our cabin, I slammed the door behind me and angrily banged my glass on the nightstand.

  I was expecting a fight and didn’t have to wait, as Alexander came into the cabin almost immediately after me. He shut the door and leaned against it. I threw him a cursory glance.

  No, do not look at him. That will just make you want to forgive him more quickly, and this handsome man has to learn he cannot do whatever he likes.

  My inner voice was completely right; he looked so sexy without a top, wearing only swimming shorts, that I had the urge to run my hand across his body. Annoyed at myself, I squeezed my hand. Dammit, his appearance definitely prevented me from thinking clearly.

  “I’m sorry,” he said, and I detected a hint of sympathy in his voice.

  It was good he at least knew how to apologize. He knew full well he’d crossed the line and was feeling guilty for his macho behavior. I had no intention of letting him count every sip of alcohol I had, especially given I didn’t drink to excess.

  “Do you really believe I’ve had too much to drink today?”

  He came over to me.

  I raised my hands. “Don’t touch me. I want to think with my head rather than let my body speak for me. So don’t touch me and answer my question. How often do you drink wine at lunch and dinner when I don’t?”